APPLICANT'S DESCRIPTION: (Provided by Applicant) The Microscopy and Pathology Core will provide coordinated services for experiments in the Component Projects requiring fluorescence imaging or histopathological analysis. The Microscopy and Pathology Core builds on the expertise and hardware resources at the Wellman Laboratories. Current structures and staffing levels that support these needs have become limiting and thus will not be able to adequately serve an additional set of five projects. Therefore, Core B has been designed to improve turn-around times and availability of services and hardware for the Component Projects. This will be implemented by means of employing dedicated personnel and by coordinating similar or identical requirements by different Component Projects. Two major functions will be fulfilled by Core B, firstly a service function for (1) in vivo fluorescence imaging, (2) standard histopathology techniques, including immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry, and (3) confocal imaging of fluorescent dyes in vitro and ex vivo. The major impact of the Core will lie in rapid turn-around times and improved application of those more difficult techniques, which need some experience for optimized performance, and interpretation of data. There will be an emphasis on optimizing imaging quality and image processing for project-specific applications, specifically for those techniques, which are needed for those approaches, and models that are shared by several Component Projects. In its second function, Core B will serve as a teaching component, for those imaging and histopathology techniques, which are required by the Component Projects. In addition, teaching will also focus on tumor histopathology and PDT effects at the cellular and tissue levels. All Component Projects have specific needs which will be supplied, supported and facilitated by this Core at different levels, including time management and coordination with other Component Projects.